DRS is not necessarily a bad curse to F1. The problem, I think, is the way it’s been implemented.
What would you choose as an option?
A. Limited time during a race (30 minutes for all races)
B. limited percentage of “average race time” depending on the circuit (let’s say, 30 mins for Canada, 40 for Monaco, etc)
C. an established number of Km for all races (let’s say 80km?)
D. an established percentage of the race distance (let’s say 20 percent?) for all races
E. Limited number of opening the DRS during all the race (how long the driver wants it open would depend on him)
F. Another idea?
Please, don’t answer “get rid of it” cause that’s what everybody is saying. Let’s imagine a solution for the problem with it remaining in F1, as a bullet unable to be extracted.
NOTE: All my alternatives are in the supposed situation that F1 stops limiting the use of DRS to some zones and letting everybody, not just the driver behind, to use it

How about…
– DRS is only available when lapping backmarkers (could create chances for the opportunistic and shrewd)
or
– DRS is only available when the car in front is ahead on WDC points (silly yes, but along the same kind of lines as reverse grids and success ballast)

Just to comment on your suggestions.
A/B. Might not work as the majority of racers probably would use most if, not all during the beginning of the race to get an advantage over anyone who doesn’t use it, thus being ahead and making it difficult for racers who didnt use it at the beginning to pass later in the race..
C/D. Pretty much same situation.
E. Makes the most sense as the driver could decided to attack or defend with DRS. Could have some pretty interesting strategy.
My Suggestion: Personally I think the way DRS is currently set up is correct, the problem lies with the execution. DRS was made to assist in passing, not to create “highway DRS passes”. The only thing that really needs to be changed is the power of the DRS, by limiting the size of the DRS flap. Currently the flaps are too large creating to much overspeed on the passing car. If the flap was much smaller, creating only say a 5% increase in speed, we would see alot more competitive wheel to wheel racing I figure.

WSR F3.5 uses a time system (“DRS seconds”) which is still quite acceptable to watch. Iff DRS is going to be retained in F1, it should work like that in my opinion.

I don’t think it’s any good, but DTM uses a very strange system: if a car is within two seconds of the car in front, it may activate DRS at any arbitrary point on the track (so no DRS zones). Thought I’d mention it.

As such, in the perfect world, the DRS effect would equal the dirty air time loss. And on some circuits, such as Spa and Canada, the DRS effect seems to exceed the dirty air time loss.

With this in mind, either we crank up the dirty air time loss, or decrease the DRS effect, and as such my solution would be to decrease the DRS activation length on some of these circuits, and not only that – but also reduce the required time gap. Instead of 1s, how does 7 tenths sound? Then the car is clearly quicker anyways, and the other car is being held up. It would make us psychologically less bothered by DRS as we can compartmentalise the fact that the car was going past, with or without DRS

I like the limited time or limited number or uses idea.
Or, if they still didn’t want the leading car to use it for defending, they should automatically shut the DRS when both cars are along side each other. So (theoretically, at least!) we would not get highway passes, but the defending driver can try and outbreak the attacking driver to give them more of a chance.

I don’t like a limited number of activations – it dominates the TV commentary and would be difficult to follow if you’re there at the track.

I’d like to see all drivers able to use it in the DRS zone, but with a time limit per lap that’s less than the time it takes to drive through the zone. As soon as your 3 seconds is up, or whatever, your wing closes again.

So there’s an element of skill and timing – a bit like using maximum boost in the 80s – the guy who hit the button first, or at the most effective point, would have the advantage.

They could make some DRS zones longer to increase this effect – I’d love to see drivers trying it out of Raidillon, Parabolica and other really quick corners.

And no DRS at all at certain tracks – it’s pointless at Monaco and spoils the race at Spa.

I think the only real way to do this is to make the DRS less effective, as having DRS for a limited time/certain number of allowances does have its downsides as well. For example, those fast cars making their way through the field, using their DRS are far less likely to (If the time comes to challenge the leader) actually make a decent challenge on the leader, because he may have saved all of his/her DRS uses to defend, because they’ve not been bothered for the whole race.

I think everyone of us wants to get rid of the DRS. But to answer the question how could it be used more effectively, taking into account only the viewers and the contension of the race, is to use it whenever a driver wants it to use. This would give everybody fair chance to race and to prove his overtaking skills not just pushing the “overtake automatically” button.